This past Thanksgiving found me sharing my holiday dinner with some of my broadcast production family. Yes, if you’re watching TV on a holiday many of us are working to make that happen.

This blog isn’t about me complaining about working on a holiday or missing being with my family, which I did, it’s about “reflection”.

Or as they say “counting your blessings”. 

I have an amazing career.  I have been blessed to meet and work with some incredible people. The diversity and scope of our shared experiences is almost ridiculous.

Ridiculous, in that if it wasn’t for the never-ending wide scope of our industries; broadcast, live music stage events, theater, etc., I would never have had the chance to meet and engage with so many fascinating people.

Adding to meeting those fascinating people is that fact most of those meetings have taken place at high profile events where we have exclusive backstage / behind the scenes access. Places that most people can’t even image exist.

Yes, the gigs are typically high stress with no room for error. Making each of us codependent on the others skills and abilities to execute under extreme conditions. Which at times might cause the random temper to flare and a lesson in street vocabulary to begin. But the personal relationships always endure and all is forgotten almost immediately or at least by the next commercial break.

No, this isn’t actually life and death circumstances but once you reach a particular level in your career failure isn’t an option. So, having your crew’s back is a given and overcoming adversity to achieve a perfect performance is everyone’s goal.

Having literally spent my entire life in and around the entertainment industries I don’t know if there are other careers that offer up such an amazing array of opportunities and people, but I doubt it.

There other amazing thing about these friends and bonds is that once the gig is over everyone leaves going in their own direction. Some jump on a plane. Some drive hours home in a car. Most of the time you won’t see those people for weeks, months, sometimes years. But when your paths cross it’s as if you just saw them yesterday. (sounds like a family holiday gathering uh!)

Throughout most to the year we are moving so fast bouncing between gigs, traveling, spending time with family and friends that “reflection” is rarely part of the day.

When you do find a minute or two of quiet and before you clutter that moment by hunting for information that will make you a better person or professional, take some time to “reflect” and consider what we get paid to do.

• The friends you’ve made that you can rely on for help when you’re jammed up on a gig and need an answer to a problem immediately.
• Think about all the events that others have to pay to watch, while we get paid to actually contribute to its success.
• Think about how when others say, “I wonder how they did that?” we get to say WE did that.
• Think about how many people you know from all over the country and world that after five minutes of meeting you felt like you’ve known for ever.
• How about all the cultures and customs that have enriched your life by working in and with a diversity people and places. Places we get paid to travel to while others have to pay to visit.

These only scratch the surface of things we can count as “blessings” beyond our family and friends.

I know this was out of character for my blogs but who is going to tell me I couldn’t write it..hahaha … NO ONE.

Whether you’re home with your family and friends or at a gig with your gig family and friends.

God Bless and Enjoy our Holidays ….